Sling questions

Having been left with 30% "whole body disability" due to my back injury and subsequent surgeries, I'm finding it difficult to carry long guns for prolonged periods. In the past, I've used standard slings for African carry of both rifles and shotguns, but this puts all the weight on one side of my body, which doesn't help much with a wonky back! I need better slinging options.

I know nothing at all about modern CQB sling techniques - the so-called "single point slings", Giles 3-point slings, etc. However, I understand that they may offer a better alternative for me, in that they distribute the weight over both shoulders, and let the gun hang in front of the body. Alternatively, there seem to be some that go over one shoulder and under the other, but not in the same way as a traditional hunters sling. (Please forgive the amateur's description - as I said, I know nothing about these things. In the days of my combat time, "combat" slings were unheard of - a piece of string often came in handy! )

I could use any and all advice on modern sling systems, particularly those that distribute the weight of the gun across both shoulders. If any of you could spare the time to post some information, and/or links to Web sites that describe these sling systems in some detail, I'd be very grateful. Unfortunately, some of the sites I've visited seem to assume that one knows all about "CQB slings", and suchlike, and simply post claims about how superior their product is, without going into any detail as to how it works, etc. I need something more basic than this. Also, if you know of good sling mounts for a long gun (such as those from GG&G and others, that pop in behind a Remington shotgun's frame, between it and the stock, to allow a single-point mount), I'd like to hear about them. If you know of slings that don't need specialized mounting hardware, that would be great.

Weapons involved would be shotguns (pump, semi-auto and O/U), rifles and carbines (lever, semi-auto and bolt), from multiple manufacturers, so "generic" sling alternatives would be welcome.

I also have back problems and this safari sling helps a lot. Holds the rifle or other long gun in a position so that I only have to lift and fire. Much more comfortable than having all the weight on one shoulder and I can just let it hang while I walk or sit, then grab it when I intend to shoot.

I have had a mountain stalker sling for a few years now and love it. I use is on my shotgun, mini 14 and weatherby 22-250. Check it out at www.mountainstalker.com. You can you it conventionally, wear it on you back like a backpack or across your front hands free but is ready for draw.

If you want to experiment a bit on the cheap, you can cobble up a "37 sling" (named for the training facility just up the road where it was 'developed'). It's just two plain ol' GI silent slings (1 1/4" nylon webbing) overlapped together 'head to toe' so there is a double thickness loop of sling in the middle and a single thickness at each end. It uses all four buckles from the two slings and is adjustable in all directions until it fits the user as desired, then the buckles can be taped to keep everything in place. This lets you vastly lengthen the sling over the standard silent sling as well as making up a loop that will go over one arm and under the other, suspending the weapon from two points as do some of the costlier tactical slings. It'll probably cost about $6 to make up, using new silent slings and not counting the tape.

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